The family of Det Garda Jerry McCabe have condemned as "disingenuous" the statement by his killers that they are no longer seeking early release as part of the Northern negotiations.
Speaking in Limerick last night, Pat Kearney, a brother-in-law of the detective, said it was "a bit disingenuous" of the killers to withdraw an application that they were never entitled to make in the first place.
He said the apology by the killers had come "a bit late" and the McCabe family totally rejected their claim that they never intended to attack any member of the Garda Síochána.
"We would seriously take issue with this part of their apology, as it is the evidence of Ben O'Sullivan that there were two separate blasts of gunfire. If there had only been one, then one might have thought that there was no intent, but there was a second blast of gunfire," said Mr Kearney.
"The family also think that it's a bit disingenuous of these prisoners to say they are withdrawing their application for early release when they were never entitled to it in the first place," he said.
Speaking on behalf of Det Garda McCabe's widow, Ann, Mr Kearney said she had received some comfort from the knowledge that the issue of early release was now finally off the agenda.
"Ann is worn out from it all and she certainly receives some comfort knowing that this matter is finally off the negotiating table. At least she won't have to go to the public again to get support on this."
In the statement, the killers continued to protest that they were "qualifying prisoners under the Good Friday agreement" for release, adding that this had been confirmed by the Supreme Court.
The McCabe family have protested this claim, arguing that the court held that any early release was a matter at the discretion of the Government. "The reality is that were it not for the Northern Bank robbery or the murder of Robert McCartney, it may well be that the possibility of early release for these people would have been on the agenda and the release could have become a horrible reality," Mr Kearney said.
According to Mr Kearney, the McCabe family had been unhappy with the Taoiseach's handling of the affair. However, his recent statement in Limerick that the release would not happen "on his watch" left the killers with nowhere to go.
"At least now we don't have to go cap in hand again to the Government pointing out to them their responsibilities and their obligation to ensure they serve out their sentences," he said.
Mrs McCabe is due to visit New York this week to go to the John Jay College of Criminality where this year's recipient of a scholarship awarded to gardaí in memory of her late husband will be announced. "Ann travels every March to New York for this special event. At least this year she's travelling with some good news, " said Mr Kearney.